Walker, James, 1794 - 1874

Born in Woburn, Massachusetts, James Walker graduated from Harvard College in 1814 and Harvard Divinity School in 1817. He then became the minister of Harvard's Unitarian Church in Charlestown, a position he held for twenty years. Walker further served Harvard as a member of its Board of Overseers (1825-1836, 1864-1874), a fellow of the College (1834-1853), Professor of Natural Religion, Moral Philosophy, and Civil Polity (1838-1853), and President of the College (1853-1860). A leader of the Unitarian movement, he was one of the founders of the American Unitarian Association and an editor of The Christian Examiner (1831-1859).